chapter thirteen

The sun hung high over the Academy Campus, its golden rays spilling through the towering windows of the east wing. Footsteps echoed against the marble floors as students hurried to their morning lectures, their hushed conversations weaving through the halls like whispers of the wind.

Selene Vasari moved with practiced grace, though the lingering ache in her leg from yesterday's fall had not yet faded. The dull pain accompanied each step, but she bore it without complaint. Pain was an old acquaintance, one she had long since learned to endure.

Beside her, Lord Cedric Greystone walked with his usual composed demeanor, though his sharp gaze flickered toward her from time to time, assessing.

"You're certain about this?" he asked as they neared the Council Chamber. His voice was calm, yet there was an undercurrent of curiosity beneath his words.

Selene's expression remained impassive. "If I am to redefine my standing, I must do more than simply exist. Letting others dictate who I am is no longer an option."

A faint smirk tugged at Cedric's lips. "Bold words. I admire that."

The grand doors of the Council Chamber loomed before them, carved with intricate patterns of the empire's crest. Selene had spent countless hours studying the academy's political structure, its rules, its inner workings. She would not come unprepared.

As they stepped inside, the air shifted. Several noble students were already seated around a polished mahogany table, their gazes turning toward her with varying degrees of interest and skepticism.

At the head of the table sat Lord Augustin Belmont, the Vice President. His dark eyes studied her with quiet scrutiny. "Lord Cedric," he greeted, then shifted his attention to Selene. "I assume you've brought a candidate?"

Cedric gave a slight nod. "Lady Selene Vasari seeks membership within the Council."

A murmur rippled through the room.

Selene was well aware of the weight her name carried. The Vasari name was powerful, but her personal reputation had been less than favorable until now.

Lord Augustin regarded her for a moment before speaking. "The Student Council does not accept members lightly, Lady Vasari. We require all applicants to answer a series of questions to assess their competence in governance, diplomacy, and academy regulations. Will you proceed?"

Selene inclined her head. "I will."

The questions came swiftly, each one demanding precision and knowledge.

"What are the primary duties of the Student Council?"

"To oversee student affairs, enforce academy laws, and act as the bridge between the student body and faculty."

"If two noble factions were in dispute over academy policy, how would you handle it?"

"Listen to both parties, analyze the legitimacy of their claims, and present a resolution aligned with the academy's laws while ensuring neither faction feels slighted."

"How would you manage an emergency during an academy event?"

"Ensure the safety of the students first, maintain order, and inform the faculty immediately. If necessary, issue directives to prevent panic while controlling the situation."

Her answers were delivered with unwavering confidence.

Lord Augustin leaned back slightly, tapping his fingers against the armrest. "Impressive."

A glance was exchanged between the council members before a decision was made.

"By unanimous agreement, Selene Vasari is accepted into the Student Council."

Selene exhaled softly, a measured breath of satisfaction. A step forward. A step toward reclaiming her own fate.

Cedric cast her an approving glance. "Welcome to the Council, Selene."

For the first time in a long while, she felt the weight of her past loosening—if only just a little.

The corridor beyond the Council Chamber was quiet, save for the faint echo of her footsteps. Selene had barely taken a few steps before a familiar presence loomed ahead, blocking her path.

A chill settled over her skin.

Keith Everhart.

The Crown Prince stood before her, his broad shoulders squared, his arms crossed over his chest in what seemed to be an attempt at composure. But his piercing gaze black as the midnight sky burned with thinly veiled irritation.

Selene had expected this confrontation.

"How bold of you," Keith said at last, his voice smooth yet edged with something sharp. "Joining the Council? Was yesterday's humiliation not sufficient?"

Selene met his gaze evenly. "I fail to see how my decisions concern you, Your Highness."

Keith took a step closer, his presence imposing. "You think I do not know what you're doing?" His voice lowered, the irritation beneath it rising. "You followed me to the Academy. And now, you dare to follow me into the Council? What's next, Selene? My chambers?"

A hush fell between them.

Selene should have been livid. The accusation was a cruel echo of the past the very image she had worked to erase.

But instead of anger, she felt something else.

Amusement.

A slow, measured breath passed through her lips before she responded, her voice steady. "You overestimate your importance in my life, Your Highness."

A flicker of something, hesitation perhaps, crossed Keith's features, but it was gone as quickly as it had come.

"You expect me to believe that?" he scoffed.

Selene tilted her head slightly, as if regarding a child throwing a tantrum. "Whether you believe it or not is of no concern to me."

The shift in power was palpable. For years, she had been the one desperately chasing after him, clinging to his every word, his every glance. But now?

Now, she stood before him, utterly indifferent.

And Keith Everhart Crown Prince of the Empire was the one unsettled.

"Selene" His voice was sharper this time, a touch more uncertain.

She did not give him the satisfaction of a response.

Instead, she stepped past him with unhurried grace, her every movement a silent declaration that she was no longer the girl he once knew.

Keith remained standing in the corridor, watching her retreating figure, an unfamiliar weight settling in his chest.

For the first time, he questioned if he had ever truly known Selene Vasari at all.